Hawai‘i Carpenters Union endorses Hanabusa for governor

Hawai‘i Carpenters Union endorses Hanabusa for governor

February 23, 2018

HONOLULU — The Hawai‘i Regional Council of Carpenters, Hawai‘i’s largest construction trade union representing 7,000 working men and women across the state, today endorsed Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa for governor.

Hanabusa joined union members, retirees and leadership to make the joint announcement in Kapolei, at the residence of a carpenter and homesteader in the Kānehili subdivision of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL).

“Colleen is a proven leader committed to fighting for the future of working families in Hawai‘i,” said union Executive Secretary and Treasurer Ronald Taketa. “Not only are we endorsing her candidacy to be Hawai‘i’s next governor, the Hawai‘i Carpenters Union strongly supports her platform for addressing our state’s affordable housing crisis with a sense of urgency.”

“We are honored and so very grateful for the support of the Hawai‘i Carpenters Union,” Hanabusa said. “We come together today, at the home of carpenter Avalanche Bento, to solidify our partnership and commitment to building a better future for Hawai‘i. Union members like Avalanche are the future of our state. They work hard, every day, to create opportunities for the community, and we are committed to ensuring that Avalanche and all union members have what they need to take care of their families, now and into the future.”

Hanabusa also shared key parts of her platform on affordable housing in Hawai‘i: “Despite years of promises, Hawai‘i’s housing situation remains mired in crisis. Lacking focus, urgency, and a true understanding of the issue, our state government chases solutions to problems that simply miss the mark. But affordable housing is about putting people first.

“Nowhere is the opportunity to address the crisis more pronounced than within DHHL, where a backlog of nearly 22,000 individuals and families await housing.”

The Hanabusa affordable housing plan prioritizes the solutions outlined below, instead of calling for more studies and task forces.

Hanabusa Affordable Housing Plan

Work with the counties to:

Identify neighborhoods suitable for affordable housing projects, with an emphasis on Transit Oriented Development (TOD) lands on Oahu and within Smart Growth/Transit-Ready Development (TRD) areas on neighbor islands; and

Combine state and county resources to expedite development of sustainable affordable housing projects that serve all levels of eligibility.

Work with state agencies to:

Identify and eliminate regulatory overlaps that delay construction of housing;

“Our plan calls for metrics against which progress will be measured,” Hanabusa added. “In the end, what distinguishes me from my opponent is my track-record of problem-solving leadership. I look forward to the opportunity to tackle Hawai‘i’s affordable housing crisis with a new realistic focus and determination, and I hope voters will give me the opportunity to change the way Hawai‘i does business for the better.”